Q We live above Los Gatos and recently took a trip to Yosemite and the Sierra on Highway 17 to Interstate 680, 580, 140, I-5, etc. All in all about 350 miles. As I approached home on 17, just past Los Gatos going south in the half-mile or so past The Cats and up to Lexington Reservoir, it hit me. This was far and away the worst section of road on the entire 350 miles! Bumps, dips, what have you. Marginally safe.

They have repaired and re-repaired this section many, many times over the years. So what gives? Is it underground springs, bad soil, what?

Dan Cooper

Los Gatos

A Probably a combination of the above, plus heavy truck traffic.

Q Can you help all of us who commute over the hill on Highway 17 every day to seeing some hope in the near future?

Stewart Hill

A Hope is just a few months away for one of the South Bay’s most pothole-riddled roads. Caltrans say it expects to repair this section of 17 this summer. Over the past couple of years they have repaved 17 north of the summit to the reservoir and between Lark Avenue and 85.

Q At the intersection of Lincoln and Willow in San Jose, some very naughty folks have taken to cutting across “shortcuts” to make right-hand turns.

On the southwest corner, they cut across the driveway in front of Elite Cleaners/The Table and on the northeast corner, they cut through the Valero gas station. All this to save a few seconds and in both cases they nearly always encounter a pedestrian on the sidewalk and sometimes other cars that may be justifiably in their path, either getting gas or picking up dry cleaning.

Is this practice illegal? I know it isn’t safe, and my wife and I and our baby son have nearly been hit several times. San Jose police would have a field day giving tickets.

Paul Sawyer

San Jose

A There is no section of the vehicle code that Mike-The-Traffic-Cop says he could use to ticket these “shortcutters.” But he adds that the real problem — drivers not yielding to pedestrians in crosswalks — is rampant citywide. He’ll forward this complaint to motorcycle officers working in that area.

Q On my way back from work, I take 880 south to 280 north just past Stevens Creek Boulevard. The last stretch as you exit 880 has had uneven road for months. When I get in that lane, the right tires of my car are down and the left side stays up on the newly constructed road. The exit lane has no shoulder and there is a concrete boundary on the right side. Is there any chance this unsafe stretch is going to be fixed in the near future?

Charu Wadhawan

Sunnyvale

A Not until the end of the year, when work on the new interchange nears an end.

Q The other day there were two CHP cars at the Marsh Road entrance to north Highway 101 citing carpool lane entrance cheaters. Hooray, my wish came through. Please ask CHP to set up a monthly sweep at the same site.

Mario Oblena

A The carpool lane on the Marsh on-ramp is near the top of Roadshow’s complaint list.

More in Transportation

A long-awaited plan to keep the Raiders in Oakland was announced late Friday by city and council officials. It includes a public investment of $350 million, pegged to the value of the Coliseum land and infrastructure improvements.